1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrophoresis chip and an electrophoresis unit having the same for analyzing blood components, protein, and nucleic acids.
2. Background Information
Conventionally, electrophoresis units provided with electrophoresis chips have been used to precisely analyze protein, nucleic acids and so on.
The electrophoresis chips of electrophoresis units generally have an electrophoresis groove and a sample introduction groove on one substrate (refer to Unexamined Patent Publication H08-178897 (published on Jul. 12, 1996).
When samples are analyzed with electrophoresis chips of this type, an electrophoresis liquid is introduced into electrophoresis grooves, and a sample is introduced into the sample introduction groove, for example. Then, a voltage is applied between ends of the sample introduction groove to move the sample to an intersection with the electrophoresis groove by electrophoresis, and then another voltage is applied between ends of the electrophoresis groove to move the sample through the electrophoresis groove.
Because each component contained in the sample that is moving through the electrophoresis groove has different electrophoretic speeds according to its size, ion composition, and so on, each of the components is separated from one another in the electrophoresis groove. This makes it possible to detect and analyze separated desired components only by introducing small quantities of the sample.
The conventional electrophoresis chip has, however, problems described hereinafter.
Specifically, in the electrophoresis chip disclosed in the above-mentioned patent publication, the electrophoresis groove and the sample introduction groove simply intersect each other at an intersection, i.e., there are no means to block the travel of the liquid that reciprocates between each groove. Accordingly, when the sample is electrophoresed in the electrophoresis groove after it is moved through the sample introduction groove to the intersection, the sample might to be diffused from the intersection in every direction. The diffusion of the sample will be a cause of decreasing contrast and resolution at the sample analysis.